3013: GENESIS (3013: The Series Book 11)

by Laurie Roma

  Glancing around the room, Mya could only imagine how crowded the large area would be once the TechCon actually began. She walked over to one tent and saw a Krytos couple setting up several stands of different sizes. The female smiled in greeting.

  “Hello,” Mya said, returning the smile. “I’m sorry to bother you. I was just curious about what you’re doing. I don’t really know what a TechCon is.”

  “If you’ve never been to a TechCon before, you’re in for a treat.” The female came out from around the table to stand beside Mya. “My name is Natima, and this is my mate, Abrom. My other mate, Han, is at our store on the fifth level called The Edge. I’ve been begging my mates to come in early so we can figure out how to set up.”

  “Even though we have days to do it,” Abrom said as he smiled as his mate.

  “It never hurts to be prepared,” Natima said primly. She turned back to Mya. “The TechCon is essentially a mixture of fantasy, entertainment and technology. People dress up and wear crazy costumes, while others come to check out the latest gadgets and games, and buy all kinds of wares that are for sale.”

  “It sounds like fun.”

  Natima nodded. “It really is. Usually, we travel to Earth every year, but this is great being able to be so close to the event. Our sons have a shop on Alpha Station: X1. They’ll be coming here in a few days for the convention. We brought a few samples down to see how they will look on the stands. If we wanted to, we could set everything up now since security is so tight, but we still haven’t decided exactly what we are going to bring. Would you like to see what we brought with us today?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Mya watched as Abrom lifted the box onto the table. He unlocked it and lifted the lid. There were a variety of items tucked into a foamy substance that kept them in place. There were a few daggers similar to the ones she’d noticed all Krytos wore. There were also a few wicked looking curved ones, along with others that had decorative hilts. A dagger with a handle made to look like a claw caught her attention. She reached out to touch it, and when she hesitated, Abrom took it out of the case and handed it to her.

  “Be careful,” he told her. “The blade is sharp.”

  Mya nodded to him, then pulled the dagger from its sheath. The metal gleamed in the light, but what really fascinated her was the intricate work on the handle. “This is excellent work. I’d like to buy this,” she told them. “I have a brother whose birthday is coming up soon. My name is Mya Spartan. I’m opening a new store on the third level.”

  She handed the blade back to a stunned Abrom.

  “Spartan? As in Regent Spartan and High Commander Spartan?”

  “By the gods, you own Starlight Designs!” Natima gasped.

  Mya held back her sigh. Since she’d been on New Vega, she’d forgotten how most people reacted when they found out who her family was.

  “It would be an honor to have you buy one of our pieces,” Abrom said.

  Making a quick decision, Mya said, “Actually, all my brothers and my fathers would love your work.” It looked like everyone would be getting something sharp for the holidays this year. “Do you think you could hold this for me at your store until I can come take a look at what else you have?”

  “Of course!”

  Natima practically bowed to her as Mya thanked her and told them she’d be by their shop to see them soon. After she left their table, she walked over to speak with all of the other local sellers that were there. She introduced herself to them and praised their wares, then promising to stop by later to visit their shops.

  When she was done, she turned around, she almost ran right into Tavius, who was standing right behind her. There was a gentle expression on his face as he looked down at her that made her heart beat a little faster.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know you were finished yet,” Mya blurted out, startled by his closeness.

  “No worries.”

  She bit at her lower lip. She felt foolish and didn’t know why. “There are so many wonderful people here on New Vega. I haven’t been able to meet everyone yet, but I would like to try to get to know all of them.”

  “I’m sure they will love to meet you.”

  Tavius led Mya toward the entrance as pride swelled inside him. She didn’t know it, but Mya had acted just as an alpha female would have. He’d been watching as she spoke to his people. Her gentle bearing put them at ease, and he noticed she had a kind word for everyone. It pleased him that she wanted to get to know them, and he made a mental note to introduce her to more locals whenever he had a chance.

  They checked out four of the conference rooms and two of the smaller ballrooms before heading down to the ballroom on sublevel five. “This level is for mature audiences only,” Tavius explained as they took the elevator down. “The ballroom actually takes up level four and five since it’s so big. This is our last stop, then we can go get something to eat.”

  Like sublevel one, the hallway of sublevel five was lit with lamplight sconces, with cobblestone lining the floor. There weren’t as many people walking around, however most of the stores on this level weren’t the type that encouraged window shoppers.

  Mya paused to read the signs of the shops closest to them, and tried to contain her shock. Obviously, sublevel five had been deemed for mature audiences only because this was where the hard-core sex clubs, brothels, mature-rated holo-galleries and VR stands were located. There were more security officers patrolling the level, but that fact didn’t make Mya feel more comfortable.

  She was grateful when Tavius took her hand in his when a group of Helios males walked by them. Unable to help it, she moved closer to his side. To her relief, the males nodded to Tavius, but ignored her. Tugging her with him, Tavius led her to the end of the hallway, where a set of two huge black doors had been propped open.

  Unlike the elegant splendor upstairs, this ballroom had dark walls and an almost gothic feel to it. Even the chandelier lighting didn’t help make the room brighter. On the left side of the room were several large temporary holo-rooms. Next to those were a dozen VR stands. Across from those were tents for vendors, but what struck her as odd were the chaises and plush couches that had been set up in the center of the large room.

  Mya didn’t feel the need to wander around as she’d done upstairs, even though this room’s setup seemed almost complete. Instead, she held tight to Tavius’ hand.

  “You know I would never let anything happen to you,” he whispered. She nodded, but didn’t say anything in response to his statement. Pulling her to a stop, Tavius cupped her face with his other hand. “You are safe with me, Mya.”

  “Okay,” she said, but didn’t sound very convinced.

  Pulling her closer, Tavius motioned a few of the crew members over. After he introduced them to Mya, they updated him on the setup. Mya was distracted from the conversation by watching some of the vendors set up. Her eyes went wide as she noticed what they were selling. One of the tents showcased a variety of sex toys, while another had whips made of different materials on display. A third had paddles with what looked like spikes on them.

  Tavius heard Mya gasp softly. Following her line of sight, he cursed when he saw what she was looking at. Dismissing the male he’d been talking to, he all but picked Mya up and dragged her toward the exit.

  Stupid, he thought. He’d been monumentally stupid bringing her down there. For some reason he’d thought Mya would be amused by the setup on this level, but he’d made a huge error. He just wanted her to see the contrast to the ballroom upstairs, but since she was so innocent, he hadn’t considered that the lower levels might scare her.

  He called for the elevator using the priority code, overriding anyone else that tried to use it. A few seconds later, he was pulling her inside the car.

  “You don’t ever have to come down here again,” he promised.

  “Sorry, all of that just took me by surprise.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I only wanted you to come with me because this was a chance t
o see sublevel five when you’d know you would be safe.”

  “I’m fine, really. Sublevel five is…interesting. But I don’t think I want to go down there again.”

  “And you don’t have to,” he swore. “I mean it, Mya. And if for some reason you ever do need to, you won’t go without me or one of my brothers. Promise me.” After she nodded, he pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry you were frightened. If it makes you feel any better, Maddox might kill me when he finds out I took you down there.”

  Mya leaned into him and relaxed. “I wasn’t frightened.” Not exactly true, but she wasn’t going to admit that. She was touched that he was so worried about her, but she didn’t want him to think she was weak. People came to New Vega for all sorts of entertainment…and now she understood exactly what kind of amusements were offered on the lower levels.

  Large hands stroked her back, and she felt her body reacting to his gentle touch. She could sense his sincerity and guilt since they were touching. They must have been really strong emotions for her to be able to read them. Pulling back, she looked up at him and smiled. “What’s next on our tour?”

  “Lunch?”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  Tavius’ wrist unit beeped, and he sighed after reading the incoming message. “A friend has stopped by unexpectedly. Do you mind coming with me to meet him? He doesn’t come here often, and I just want to see him before he takes off again.”

  “Sure, I’ll go with you.” Mya thought a distraction after the debacle downstairs would be good. She’d just been caught off guard by what she’d seen, and now she felt completely foolish.

  Stars, she’d acted like a scared child.

  When the doors of the elevator opened on the main level, Mya breathed a little easier. Tavius held her hand as they walked toward the lobby, and she found herself curious about who they were meeting.

  Tavius looked around the large lobby, scanning the faces of the people passing by for his friend. He heard his name being called, and turned around to see D’Aire Ambassador Orion D’Sil walking toward him.

  His smile of greeting froze as Mya jerked away from him. Letting out a cry of joy, she ran toward the D’Aire male, whose eyes widened in surprise before he bent down and caught her into his strong arms with a tight embrace.

  Fuck it.

  Friend or not, Tavius was now going to have to kill him.

  ***

  CHAPTER TEN

  “Let go of her.”

  Tavius let out a vicious snarl, baring his fangs as he stalked toward them.

  Orion gently set Mya back down on her feet, and it enraged Tavius when the other male pushed her slightly behind his back as if to protect her.

  From him? The son of a demon thought he had to protect her from him?

  Yeah, he was totally going to have to kill the winged bastard.

  “Tavius, my friend. This isn’t exactly the greeting I was expecting.”

  Mya chose that moment to push forward, coming between the two males. “Tavius? you know Orion? This is the friend we’re meeting?” She frowned. “Why do you keep growling at him?”

  Tavius took a deep breath, then another to try to calm himself. Rage had caused his vision to blur, and he fought back the change that tried to take over him. For fucking star’s sake, he’d almost shifted into beast mode and attacked a friend for touching her.

  “Oh, Uncle Orion, it’s so good to see you!”

  Orion brushed his hand down her hair. “It is always a joy to see you, little one.”

  Tavius sputtered for a moment. Wait…what? “Uncle?”

  Orion studied him for a moment, then the D’Aire’s iridescent blue eyes shimmered with understanding. “I’ve been friends of the Spartan-Rollins family for years, and have known Mya Spartan since she was born.”

  Mya smiled up at Orion. “He’s not actually my uncle, but I’ve called him that for as long as I can remember. My mother went into labor while she was at an event with my fathers. Orion was there and flew her to the med-center before my fathers could freak out. He saved everyone a lot of worry.”

  “Ian and Jack still acted pretty crazy until they had you safe in their arms,” Orion said with a laugh.

  Tavius wanted to slam his head into something hard. Not only had he frightened Mya, but he’d almost killed her uncle in front of her. He was supposed to be the smooth, charming one, damn it. But he couldn’t seem to do anything right today.

  He opened his mouth, intending to apologize, but that wasn’t what came out. “Mya, stop touching his arm,” he snapped. “Come here.”

  Shit, shit, shit!

  What in the nine moons of Rivos was wrong with him?

  Even knowing he was acting insane, he jerked her away from the other male, holding her to his side. It wasn’t necessary to look down to know she was staring at him as if he’d lost his mind. Instead, he focused on his friend, and the satisfaction gleaming in the D’Aire’s eyes confused Tavius. “We were going to eat. You should join us.”

  “Perhaps I will,” Orion said with a grin.

  Mya glared at Tavius, and was ready to blast him, but she stopped as she realized that he was jealous. She could sense it, feel it by touching him. It struck her that she’d been able to read him whenever she touched him. It had always been easier for her to read those closest to her. Perhaps her ability was growing since she’d opened her heart to Maddox last night, and her feelings for Tavius were growing just as strong.

  The three of them went to eat at a place owned by a D’Aire couple on the second level. Mya waited until they were seated and they ordered their food before she asked, “So, how do you know each other?”

  “As an ambassador for the D’Aire, I have to travel a great deal. I’ve been to New Vega many times, and have had the privilege of getting to know the Adaro brothers well over the last few years.”

  “Usually you inform us before you visit,” Tavius said. “Why the change this time?”

  “Technically, I’m not supposed to be here.” Orion grinned. “I was just on Earth a few days ago, and imagine my surprise to find that my favorite little designer was missing.”

  Mya frowned. “My family knows where I am.”

  “Some of them do,” Orion corrected. “And some of them have not been told yet.” He chuckled when he saw the guilt etched into Mya’s face. Knowing her family well, he knew exactly why she hadn’t informed her older brothers of her move.

  Orion had been escaping his own past when he’d become an ambassador. He had known the Spartan-Rollins family for many years. After he’d lost his own family, he’d become a mere shadow of who he once was. His lack of emotions had served him well in his duties, but then he’d visited Earth and had been made godfather to a tiny human infant. Suddenly, he’d felt a glimmer of hope again.

  And now—even though it was years later—he was ready to focus on finding a little peace for himself. Since there was nothing he could do about that yet, he pushed aside thoughts of that and smiled at the woman he’d come to think of as family. “If they give you any grief, you might want to ask Talon why he hasn’t mentioned giving up his post on X4 in order to take a position with a strike force team.”

  Mya gasped. “Seriously? Oh, my mother is going to be so pissed!”

  Tavius watched, slightly fascinated as she did a little happy dance in her chair. “Aren’t you worried about your brother doing such dangerous work?”

  “Of course I am, but now my mother will be too focused on being pissed at Talon to worry about me.” Mya waited as their server came back to their table to deliver their food and drinks, then asked, “Do you have any goods on Jax I can use against him?”

  Orion chuckled. “You are mercenary, little one. But I think you brother is too busy right now to worry about your new business venture.”

  Worry clouded Mya’s gray eyes. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes and no. A new race has been discovered outside of Alliance territory. Actually, they aren’t new. They are an ancient race cal
led the Xenon. They’ve just cloaked their planet, Xenthian, to keep themselves isolated all these years.”

  “Oh, wow. That’s exciting!”

  Tavius didn’t share Mya’s enthusiasm. What he wanted to know was, “Are they a danger to us? How were they discovered?”

  “So far, we do not think they want war. They’ve closed themselves off for so long that their race is not used to interplanetary travel anymore. In the past, they would search the stars for intelligent life, but for some reason, they stopped. But recently, an Alliance vessel was fired upon by an unknown ship, and they crash landed on Xenthian. It is a world of magic, and there is still much we need to learn about them.”

  “Were the Xenon responsible for the attack?” Tavius asked.

  “They say they weren’t, and Commander Ivy Dalton’s report confirmed that. She is now the soulmate to the Vasili—or king—of their planet.”

  Mya’s eyes widened. “Well, that’s one way to form an alliance with a new planet.”

  Orion laughed. “True. The Alliance will be inviting the Xenon to participate in the Ministry of Nations. It’s a good idea to find out how they feel about connecting with other races as soon as possible.”

  Mya turned to Tavius. “You’re the chancellor for the Krytos, aren’t you?”

  “I am, but it’s not really a thing. I mean, no one else wanted to do it. The Krytos aren’t exactly an organized group since we’re all so scattered.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I’m just doing it since my brothers and I can get the word out to all the Krytos easier than others could.”

  “Right,” Mya stressed playfully. “You just don’t want to admit that you’re a leader of your race.”

  He grumbled before shoving food into his mouth.

  Orion also paused to eat a little, then he said, “I have more news. I’m officially retiring soon, but I have one last assignment to complete before I do. I stopped here on my way to the grand opening of Alpha Station: X21.”

  “I heard a rumor about that. Now it all makes sense.” Tavius slapped the table top. “That station was supposed to replace an existing one, but it’s being moved to a different location near that Xenthian planet, isn’t it?”